Car-replacer.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

T. N. RENPR'OE.

GAR REPLAGER.

APPLIOATION IILED APR. 22, 1903.

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QAHOPIJQQ S NORWS PEYENS on. wotonwb.,wunma1on n c UNITED STATESPatented June 16,. 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS NATHANIEL RENFROE, OF WVOODLAWN, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDSTO J. W. JETER, E. J. MCCROSSIN, B. J. SAUNDERS, AND JOHN SWEET & SON,OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

CAR-REPLACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 731,387, dated June 16,1903. Application filed April 22. 1903. Serial No. 158,844. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs NATHANIEL RENFROE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at WVoodlawn, in the county of Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented a new and useful Car-Replacer, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices employed for replacing railway-carsupon the rails, and

has for its object to improve and simplify devices of' this characterand to increase their efficiency; and the invention consists in cer tainnovel features of the construction, as hereinafter shown and described,and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which correspondingparts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a sideelevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view;

and Fig. 3' is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showingthe position of the replacer relative to the displaced wheel between therails; and Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the position of the replacerrelative to the displaced wheel outside the rails.

This device is to be employed for replacing cars which are not so badlywrecked as to dismember or destroy the trucks, and one of the deviceswill preferably be employed under the opposite wheels of the axle.Devices of this character are generally employed where the displacedwheels are still upon the ties or after they have been hauled back topositions upon the ties, and one will be placed in posi- 3 5 tion toreceive the wheel which rests just outside one rail and another inposition to receive its fellow wheel upon the same axle which restsjustinside the other rail, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein thecar-wheels are indicated in dotted lines. By this means both wheels willbe moved together, as will be obvious.

The improved device consists of a base member, preferably of cast ironor steel and formed with a doubly-inclined upper surface 10 11 and onevertical side 12. The base will be formed hollow and supported by spacedtransverse ribs (indicated by dotted'lines at 13 14) and with anaperture 15 through the adjacent parts of the doubly-inclined top andvertical journaled a roller16, the axle 17 of the roller being seated inthe ribs 13 14, as shown. One end of the axle is extended through theinclined portion 11, as shown at 18, and provided with a clamp-screw 19,passing through the shaft and tapped into the base, as indicated. Theroller 16 rot-ates upon the axle, while'the axle is held from turning bythe clamp-screw. If preferred, the clamp-screw may be employed as a stopagainst the end of the axle to prevent end movement instead of passingthrough the shaft; but the results would be the same. The surfaces 10 11are preferably segments of circles, and the roller 16 will preferably beconvex to conform thereto, as shown, and will also preferably beprovided with spaced longitudinal grooves, as shown. Inclined guide-ribs20 21 will be formed upon the surfaces 10 11, leading from the ends nearthe outer side and terminating at the aperture 15 between the verticalside 12 and the center line of the axle 17, as shown. Projecting spurs22 are arranged upon the under side of the base member to engage theties and preventslipping.

In operating the device the cars are supposed to be derailed, with thewheels at one side resting upon the ties outside the rails and theopposite wheels between the rails. One of the replacers is then set withthe fiat side 12 next the outer side of one rail, with the wedge-shapedend of the part 10 or 11, as the case may be, upon the tie nearest thederailed wheel, and another of the replacers similarly placed next theinner side of the other rail, with the wedge-shaped end upon the sametie nearest the derailed wheel upon the axle. Then when the haulingpower is applied, generally by a locomotive, the wheels run up theinclined faces 10 or 11 and are guided by the ribs 20 or 21 upon theroller 16, and as the ribs terminate at one side of the axial line ofthe roller the roller will be rotated by the weight of the car and throwthe wheels over upon the rails. During this action the spurs 22 engagethe ties and prevent lateral movement of the replacer.

In order to insure the transfer of the displaced wheel which for thetime being is outside the rail, the base of the replacer employed uponthat side will be set with its lower side resting upon the tie-flange ofthe rail, as show-n in Fig. 4, which will bring the side 12 closeagainst the outer surface of the tread of the rail to bridge the .gapwhich would otherwise be left between the replacer and the rail, as inFig. 3. This gap will not effect the operation when used between therails, as the flange of the wheel will enter this gap, while the treadof the wheel will extend over and drop upon the rail; but on the otherend of the axle the tread of the wheel extends in the oppositedirection. Hence provision mustbe made for carrying the Wheel-flangeover the rail-tread, and this is efficiently accomplished by arrangingthe replacer, as shown in Fig. at, as above noted.

The roller 16 and its axle may be formed integral, if preferred, and thebearings may be filled with Babbitt-metal orbrass bushings.

The base member may be of any size and will preferably be of cast ironor steel and the roller 16 and axle 17 of hardened steel, but may be ofother metal, if preferred.

The roller may be fluted, smooth, or of any.

other form, and the parts may be modified in minor particulars Withoutdeparting from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A car-replacerconsisting of a base having an inclined top and vertical side, a rollermounted for rotation within said base, and extending through saidinclined top, and a laterally-inclined guide-rib terminating at one sideof the center of said roller, substantially as described.

2. A car-replacer consisting of a base with an inclined top and verticalside and adapted to be located adjacent to the side of the rail, andwith an aperture at the terminus of the incline ofsaid top, a rollermounted rotatively within said aperture and projecting thereas es? from,and a laterally-inclined guide-rib upon said inclined top andterminating at said aperture at one side of the roller substantially asdescribed. 7

3. A ear-replacer consisting of a base having an inclined top andvertical side, and provided with an aperture in said side and top at theterminus of the incline, a roller mounted for rotation in said base andextending through said aperture and a laterally-inclined guide-rib uponsaid inclined t0p,and terminating at said aperture between the axialline of the roller and said vertical side, substantially as described.

4. A car-replacer consisting of a base having aninclined top andvertical side, and with an aperture in said side and top at the terminusof the incline, a roller mounted for rotation in said base and extendingthrough said aperture, and a laterally-inclined guide-rib upon saidinclined top and integral therewith,

and terminating at said aperture between the axial line of the rollerand said vertical side, substantially as described.

5. A oar-replacerconsisting of a base having an inclined top andvertical side, a roller mounted for rotation within said base andextending through said inclined top, and formed with convex sides andhaving spaced grooves parallel to the axis, and a laterallyinclinedguide'rib terminating opposite the end of said roller between its axisand said vertical side, substantially as described.

6. A car-replacer consisting of a base having a reversely-inclined topand vertical side, a roller rotatively disposed centrally of said baseand extending therefrom next to said vertical side,andreversely-disposed laterallyinclined guide-ribs terminating opposite theends of said roller and between its axis and said vertical side,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS NATHANIEL RENFROE.

Witnesses:

E. J. MoORossIN, W. 0. GAIN.

